U.S. patent number 4,992,315 [Application Number 07/434,384] was granted by the patent office on 1991-02-12 for roofing membrane and method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to GAF Buildinhg Materials Corp.. Invention is credited to Steven C. Bettoli, Thomas J. Zickell.
United States Patent |
4,992,315 |
Zickell , et al. |
February 12, 1991 |
Roofing membrane and method
Abstract
A bituminous roofing membrane, and method of manufacture, is
disclosed having a reinforcing mat sandwiched between top and
bottom layers of a tacky polymer modified bitumen. The leading edge
portion of the top layer is provided with a layer of roofing
granules. A track of adhesive is provided on the roofing granules.
The trailing edge portion of the top layer is provided with a layer
of non-slip plastic film. A release sheet is applied to the bottom
layer of the membrane to prevent engagement of the top and bottom
layers with one another when the membrane is rolled for storage or
shipment. In use, upon removal of the release sheet, the membrane
is secured to the roof with the leading edge portion constituting a
starter strip for receiving thereon the first row of roofing
shingles, and the trailing edge portion constituting an
underlayment for receiving thereon successive rows of roofing
shingles.
Inventors: |
Zickell; Thomas J. (Stratham,
NH), Bettoli; Steven C. (Bound Brook, NJ) |
Assignee: |
GAF Buildinhg Materials Corp.
(Wayne, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
23724008 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/434,384 |
Filed: |
November 13, 1989 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/40.3;
428/141; 428/143; 428/206; 428/352; 428/354; 428/489 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B
27/36 (20130101); B32B 11/02 (20130101); B32B
7/12 (20130101); E04D 5/10 (20130101); Y10T
428/141 (20150115); Y10T 428/2839 (20150115); Y10T
428/31815 (20150401); Y10T 428/24893 (20150115); B32B
2367/00 (20130101); B32B 2307/744 (20130101); B32B
2395/00 (20130101); B32B 2262/0276 (20130101); Y10T
428/2848 (20150115); B32B 2262/101 (20130101); B32B
2315/085 (20130101); Y10T 428/24372 (20150115); B32B
2419/06 (20130101); Y10T 428/24355 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B32B
11/00 (20060101); B32B 11/02 (20060101); E04D
1/22 (20060101); E04D 1/12 (20060101); E04D
5/00 (20060101); E04D 5/10 (20060101); B32B
007/12 (); B32B 005/16 (); B32B 025/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;428/40,41,141,143,195,194,352,354,206,489 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
4317853 |
March 1982 |
Thiis-Evensen |
4559267 |
December 1985 |
Freshwater et al. |
|
Primary Examiner: Thomas; Alexander S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fisher; Julius Goldberg; Jules E.
Ward; Joshua J.
Claims
We claim:
1. A bituminous roofing membrane comprising:
first and second layers of a tacky polymer modified bitumen;
a reinforcing mat layer sandwiched between and in contact with said
first and second bitumen layers to form first and second oppositely
exposed surfaces of said membrane;
one of said first and second exposed surfaces constituting a
non-weather surface adapted to be secured to the roof;
the other one of said first and second exposed surfaces having a
leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion;
said leading edge portion having a protective layer of roofing
granules constituting a weather exposed surface, and further having
a track of pressure sensitive adhesive on said roofing granules
extending in the same direction as said leading edge and spaced
inwardly of said edge;
the exposed surface of said trailing edge portion having a layer of
non-slip plastic film;
whereby when said membrane is secured to the roof, said leading
edge portion constitutes a starter strip for receiving thereon the
first row of roofing shingles, and said trailing edge portion
constitutes an underlayment for receiving thereon successive rows
of roofing shingles.
2. The roofing membrane claim 1 wherein said reinforcing mat layer
is made of fibrous material.
3. The roofing membrane of claim 2 wherein said fibrous material is
fiberglass.
4. The roofing membrane of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing mat
layer is made of polymeric material.
5. The roofing membrane of claim 1 wherein said trailing edge
portion of said other one of said first and second exposed surfaces
has a width substantially greater than the corresponding width of
said leading edge portion.
6. The roofing membrane of claim 5 wherein the width of said
leading edge portion is about 10% to 20% of the total width of said
membrane.
7. The roofing membrane of claim 1 further comprising a release
sheet on said one of said first and second exposed surfaces of said
bitumen layers; said release sheet intended to be removed from said
membrane when the membrane is secured to the roof.
8. The roofing membrane of claim 7 wherein said release sheet has a
first portion and a second portion; said second portion being
adjacent to said first portion; one of said first and second
portions having a leading edge aligned with the leading edge of
said membrane and extending rearwardly toward the trailing edge of
said membrane a distance sufficient to overlie said track of
pressure sensitive adhesive on said roofing granules when said
membrane is in a rolled condition; said one of said first and
second portions of s id sheet being treated with a release film on
opposite sides thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to membranes adapted for the waterproofing
and sealing of substrate structures, particularly in roofing
applications, and to the method of manufacturing such membranes.
More particularly, this invention relates to waterproofing membrane
laminates having a leading edge portion which constitutes a starter
strip for receiving thereon the first row of roofing shingles, and
a non-slip trailing edge portion which constitutes an underlayment
for receiving thereon successive rows of roofing shingles.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Bituminous prepared roofing, also referred to as asphalt roofing
membrane, is typically manufactured using as a base a fibrous web,
and coating or impregnating one or both surfaces of the web with a
weather-resistant bituminous coating material. Usually, there is
applied to the bituminous coating, on the surface intended to be
exposed to the weather, a suitable granular, material such as slate
granules or mineral surfacing. A release sheet, such as siliconized
paper, is applied against the self-adhesive bituminous
waterproofing layer to prevent sticking of adjacent sections of the
roofing material in the package.
In a typical installation, an underlayment is first applied to the
plywood deck of the roof. The underlayment may take the form of a
fibrous mat also impregnated with a bituminous material, and useful
as a waterproofing member. The roofing shingles are applied on top
of the underlayment with the seams of adjacent rows in off-set
relation. In practice, a starter row or strip is begun at the roof
eaves using self-sealing shingles. The end of the first shingle in
the strip is trimmed such that in the placement thereof on the
deck, the cutouts of the first course of shingles will not be
placed over the starter strip joints. The starter strip also is
nailed to the eaves. Successive rows of shingles are then secured
to the deck or roof in conventional manner using sealants or
nails.
To insure maximum protection against ice dams, flashing should be
installed wherever there is a possibility of icing, such as along
the eaves of the roof. Ice dams are formed by the continual thawing
and freezing of melting snow, or the backing up of frozen slush in
gutters which force water under the roofing thereby causing damage
to a home's ceilings, walls, and insulation. This problem is most
acute on low slope roofs; that is, roofs with a slope of 2 inches
(5.08 cm) to 4 inches (10.16 cm) per foot (30.48 cm). Eaves
flashing is the recommended method of applying roofing material to
this potentially vulnerable area to help prevent such leakage. The
flashing is positioned over the underlayment and nailed in place
ready to receive thereon the starter strip.
The traditional eaves flashing have been either 50 pound coated
felt or two layers of 15 pound saturated felt cemented together.
The term "pound" is defined as the weight of the felt in covering
an area of 108 square feet. The asphalt used in the 50 pound felt
is not modified with rubber, and after aging, will not form a good
seal around nails. The installation of two layers of 15 pound
saturated felt is time consuming.
As is apparent, the need for a starter strip and for flashing
involves two separate elements which are installed separately, thus
increasing installation time. Also, the use of an ice dam barrier,
such as flashing, tends to be slippery when standing upon. This
creates a safety hazard for the installer.
The present invention combines the separate functions of a starter
strip and eaves flashing into a single roofing membrane, and
incorporates a nonslip safety feature as part of the membrane in
the manner hereinafter described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides for a bituminous selfadhering waterproof
roofing membrane, and to the method of manufacturing such membrane,
having a reinforcing mat sandwiched between top and bottom layers
of a tacky polymer modified bitumen to form oppositely exposed
surfaces of the membrane. The expose surface of the bottom layer
constitutes a non-weather surface adapted to be secured to the
roof. The exposed surface of the top layer has a leading edge
portion and a trailing edge portion. The leading edge portion of
the top layer is provided with a protective layer of roofing
granules which constitute a weather exposed surface. A track of
pressure sensitive adhesive is provided on the roofing granules,
extending in the same general direction as the leading edge, and
spaced inwardly of the leading edge. The exposed surface of the
trailing edge portion of the top layer is formed having a layer of
non-slip plastic film. In use, when the membrane is secured to the
roof, the leading edge portion of the top layer constitutes a
starter strip for receiving thereon the first row of roofing
shingles, while the trailing edge portion constitutes an
underlayment for receiving thereon successive rows of roofing
shingles.
A release sheet is applied to the bottom layer of the membrane such
that when the membrane is in a rolled state, the sheet comes in
contact with the top layer to prevent engagement of the oppositely
exposed surfaces of the membrane during storage or shipping.
Accordingly, it is an object, feature, and advantage of the present
invention to provide a rubberized asphalt roofing product which is
applied along the eaves of a roof, and has the dual purpose of
serving as a water infiltration barrier and a starter strip for the
first course of overlying shingles.
A further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention
is to provide a roofing membrane as described above having a
non-slip surface for the safety of roof installers.
Another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a
novel method for manufacturing a roofing membrane.
A further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention
is to provide a roof membrane and eave underlayment which reduces
labor cost in installation, reduces scrap in the trimming of
shingles, and reduces the usage of nails, all of which contributes
to a more simplified, safer, and economical roof installation.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the roofing membrane constructed in
accordance with the present invention prior to being secured to the
roof;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the roofing membrane shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the eaves of the present invention
secured thereto, and further showing a plurality of roof shingles
secured in place on the membrane;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the portion of the roof shown
in FIG. 4, with the shingles removed for the purpose of clarity;
and
FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the process steps used in
manufacturing the roofing membrane.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, numeral 10 represents a bituminous
self-adhesive waterproofing membrane constructed in accordance with
the present invention. Membrane 10 is made with an asphalt coating
that has been rubberized with polymer so that a seal forms around
roofing nail punctures.
Specifically, membrane 10 includes a top layer 12 and a bottom
layer 14, each made of sticky and rubbery polymer modified bitumen.
Sandwiched between the tacky bitumen layers 12 and 14 is a
reinforcing mat layer 16 preferably made of a fiberglass substrate.
Alternatively, the reinforcing mat layer 16 may be formed of
polymeric materials, such as polyester. As will become hereinafter
apparent, the exposed surface of bottom layer 14 is a non-weather
surface adapted to be secured to the roof.
Positioned on top of the exposed surface of bottom layer 14 is a
release sheet 18 of siliconized treated paper or plastic material.
Membrane 10 is intended to be made in roll lengths of 36 feet
(10.97 m) having a width of 3 feet (0.91 m). As such, the release
sheet 18 comes in contact with the exposed surface of the top layer
12, or the elements affixed to said top layer as hereinafter noted,
upon rolling of membrane 10, to prevent engagement of the
oppositely exposed surfaces of the membrane during storage or
shipping. Release sheet 18 is intended to be removed from bottom
layer 14 when membrane 10 is secured to the roof, as shown in FIG.
4.
The exposed surface of top layer 12 may be defined as having a
leading edge portion 20 and a trailing edge portion 22. These
portions correspond to the leading edge and trailing edge portions
of membrane 10. Positioned on top of leading edge portion 20, and
embedded partially therein, is a protective layer of roofing
granules 24 which constitute a weather exposed surface; that is,
the surface exposed to weather conditions. The texture of the
granules is such that the protective layer 24 closely resembles the
exposed surface of roof shingles. The width of protective layer 24
is about 10% to 20% of the total width of membrane 10. Assuming a
total width of 3 feet (0.91 m), the width of protective layer 24 is
preferably 6 inches (15.24 cm). Protective layer 24 extends
lengthwise for the entire length of the membrane.
Embedded within protective layer 24, and projecting slightly above
the top surface thereof, is a track of pressure sensitive adhesive
26. The plurality of adhesive units 26 extend lengthwise of
membrane 10 in a direction generally parallel to leading edge 20,
and are spaced inwardly of said edge. Each adhesive unit 26 is of
generally rectangular shape approximately 1.38 inches (3.51 cm) by
0.50 inches (1.27 cm), and is spaced from leading edge 20 by
approximately 1.25 inches (3.18 cm) on center. The longitudinal
spacing between successive adhesive units 26 is approximately 1.64
inches (4.17 cm). As hereinafter described, the portion of membrane
10 designated as protective layer 24 constitutes a starter strip
for roof shingles which are held in place by adhesive 26 and by
nails.
Positioned on top of trailing edge portion 22, and embedded
partially therein, is a non-slip plastic sheet or film 28 of the
kind disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 4,488,918 to Jarl-Erik Jofs dated
Dec. 18, 1984. The sheet has, on its surface, a pattern of
relatively high, sharp, irregular plastic peaks and ridges,
sufficiently pronounced, hard and rough to effect a mechanical
gripping with the sole of a workman's boot. This provides a safety
feature for roof installers when the membrane 10 is secured as an
underlayment to the deck of a roof for receiving shingles
thereon.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, release sheet 18 has a first portion 30
and a second portion 32. Portion 30 covers most of the exposed
surface of bottom layer 14 beginning at trailing edge 22 and
extending toward leading edge 20, but terminating short of said
leading edge. Portion 30 is coated on only one side thereof.
Portion 32 covers only a small portion of the exposed surface of
bottom layer 14, beginning at leading edge 20 and continuing to
where portion 30 had terminated thereby forming a juncture line 34.
Portion 32 is coated on both sides thereof, and is of sufficient
width to overlie adhesive 26 upon rolling of membrane 10. Portions
30 and 32 extend lengthwise for the entire length of membrane
10.
Release sheet 18 is preferably a single sheet having the two
portions 30 and 32. In the alternative, release sheet 18 could be
made of two separate sheets corresponding to the two portions.
Also, in place of the siliconized coating on both surfaces of
portion 32, the invention provides that the surface intended to
come in contact with the adhesive track 26 may be coated with a wax
emulsion or a soap solution.
FIG. 4 shows the manner in which membrane 10 is intended for use on
roof deck 36 in the region of roof eaves 38. Deck 36 is typically
provided with an underlayment layer 40 in conventional manner, such
as by an adhesive and/or nails. Underlayment 40 provides a measure
of protection against water leakage. However, as previously noted,
such underlayment is not adequate along roofing eaves where eaves
flashing is employed for added protection against ice dames.
In accordance with the present invention, the eaves flashing may be
replaced with membrane 10. In use, after removal of release sheet
18, membrane 10 is secured to deck 36 by adhesive and/or nails.
Membrane 10 is positioned with leading edge 20 aligned with the
leading edge of the roof. This serves to locate the leading edge
portion 20 in position to act as a starter strip for receiving
thereon the first row of roofing shingles 42.
More specifically, shingles 42 are suitably positioned in overlying
and sticking relation to adhesive 26, and secured in place to deck
36 by nails. Since the installer typically is standing on deck 36
while installing the shingles, there would be risk of slipping on
conventional flashing. However, in the present installation using
membrane 10, the installer would stand on the non-slip plastic
sheet portion 28 of the trailing edge portion of the membrane to
substantially reduce the risk of falling. The trailing edge portion
22 thus constitutes an underlayment, in and of itself, for
receiving thereon successive rows of roofing shingles 42.
In construction, the modified bitumen coating is made of 0-40%
mineral stabilizer and 5-15% styrene-butadiene copolymer with the
balance being asphalt having a Ring and Ball softening point
between 80.degree. F. and 150.degree. F. (26.67.degree. C. and
65.56.degree. C.). The finished weight of one square roll; that is,
108 square feet (10.04 m.sup.2) which is needed to cover 100 square
feet (9.29 m.sup.2), will be in the range of 40 pounds to 60 pounds
(18.14 kg to 27.22 kg).
The thickness of the finished membrane, less the release sheet, is
between 90 mils and 110 mils for a granulated surface, and between
50 mils and 70 mils for a non-granulated surface. The thickness of
the fiberglass mat is between 17 mils and 37 mils. The thickness of
the release sheet, if paper, is between 3 mils and 8 mils. If the
release sheet is made of plastic, the thickness is to be between 1
mil and 5 mils. The thickness of the non-slip film is between 2
mils and 20 mils.
The process by which membrane 10 is formed is schematically
depicted in FIG. 6. The substrate, such as the fiberglass mat 16,
is unwound from spool 50 and passes through an impregnation tank
52, under the influence of guide rollers 54, where the molten
bitumen coating is applied to impregnate the substrate. After
substrate 16 passes through squeeze rollers 56, roofing granules 24
are dropped from tank 58 onto the tacky polymer modified bitumen
representing the top layer 12 of the membrane, and stick to the
substrate. As previously noted, the granules 24 are dropped onto
that portion of the substrate that constitutes the leading edge
portion 20 of membrane 10, in a band width of approximately 6
inches (15.24 cm).
The impregnated substrate 16 then passes through a cooling station,
such as water bath 60, so that the substrate is at a suitable
temperature to receive thereon the non-slip film or sheet 18 on
that portion of top layer 12 constituting the trailing edge portion
22 of membrane 10. Substrate 16 then passes through another set of
rollers where release sheet or film 18 is applied to the bottom
layer 14 of the substrate. Substrate 16 then passes through a set
of press rollers 62 where the roofing granules 24 are partially
embedded into the top layer 12 of the membrane.
The position or travel of substrate 16 is then inverted, by
suitable rollers 64, to permit the track of pressure sensitive
adhesive 26 to be applied to the top layer 12 as the substrate
passes, upside down, through the applicator station 66. The
position or travel of substrate 16 is then again inverted, by
rollers 68, to permit the substrate to pass, right side up, through
another tank 70 wherein the siliconized coating is applied to the
portion 32 of the exposed surface of release film 18. The substrate
then passes through a drying station 72 after which the formed
membrane 10 is wound up on take-off spool 74.
There is thus provided a novel roofing membrane which performs the
dual function of serving as a water infiltration barrier and as the
starter strip for receiving thereon the first course of roofing
shingles, and which includes a non-slip surface for the safety of
roof installers.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described in detail, it will be readily understood and appreciated
that numerous omissions, changes, and additions may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *